He stooped over, and began to grasp at the gold pieces, some of which were heaped up in piles upon the floor.
Even the weakest are capable of harm when exasperated, and Ben, feeble as he was, was gifted with supernatural strength when he saw himself likely to lose the hoards of a lifetime, and his anger rose to fever heat against the scoundrel whom he had known years before to be utterly unprincipled.
With a cry like that of a wild beast he sprang upon the tramp, who, in his crouching position, was unable to defend himself against a sudden attack. Rudolph fell with violence backward, striking his head with great force against the brick hearth. Strong as he was, it was too much for him, and he lay stunned and insensible, with the blood gushing from a wound in his head.
The old man stood appalled at the consequence of his sudden attack.
"Have I killed him? Shall I be hanged?" he asked, with anguish.
"No, he's only stunned!" said Tony, springing over the floor with all his wits about him. "We have no time to lose."
"To run away? I can't leave my gold," said Ben.
"I don't mean that. We must secure him against doing us any harm when he recovers. Have you got some stout cord?"
"Yes, yes," said Ben, beginning to understand our hero's design. "Stay, I'll get it right away."
"You'd better, for he may come to any minute."